Sunday, October 30, 2011

October Snow



Nothing like a little snow to stir things up and then shut things down. I took a few pictures with my camera phone half kiddy because it was beautiful. There were big, wet flakes, sloppy at first and then huge flakes tumbled down from the biggest fluffiest goose ever it seemed. Fluffy but heavy enough to knock over trees and power lines.

The sugar maple tree above was aglow in the snow like a jack-o-lantern just as happy as we were.





I was very happy until I realized our power was out when I went back in the house. It rather dampened my gleeful spirit, but kids only think of fun things like sledding. Over the summer you forget how quiet a calm snowfall is. You are in the middle of a caccoon and you focus only on the things nearest you.






Our power came back on in a few hours and once again we were thankful for the important things, a home, a warm bed and our westie dog's cold nose pushing against our hands, and each other safe and sound.

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Love Note Letters and Poem




The little details can speak the loudest.

"A little note of cheer
right from eye to heart
no one can hear it
but one can feel it
lighten our step
bring a smile
lift our head
messages are powerful "

Candylei

I made these tiny letter muslin letters and this little love-line, not to be confused with clothes line, travels about the house. No sewing needed.


Linking over to the Picket Fence Linky Party

Stuff and Nonsense Party

Flaunt it Friday

Saturday Morning

Home page

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Bad Apple Tablescapes Salad



Who was it that said there's a bad apple in every bunch?
This one just looks a little bad but tastes delicious.












It was cored so it would have room for a rose
(made from a endive crown) hat with feather and sets
on a frilly bed of lettuce. My young son was amazed
when he saw this, "Who did this?"
I guess he didn't think I could carve an apple
into a pumpkin, but he should be the one to know
we have fun with food.

Pull up to the table for some artful fun and
good healthy food!









Mercury Glass Style White Decor



Vintage Mercury glass you can just order online! The sparkle and glow adds cheer to any white decor or farmhouse! This gorgeous vintage mercury glass lamp is from Pottery Barn. You can order online or walk into store. The burlap lampshade adds just the right shabby touch.




Look at this duvet cover! Maybe I need this to complete the look. Yes, absolutely.




These votive mercury glass candle holders are only 5.00 each and there are many different styles.





Sweet canisters. Wouldn't these look great for the holidays? From West Elm.




Candles add a romantic touch to any room. Food seems to taste better by candlelight. They bring blood pressure down, and bring a calm.




Sweet mercury glass napkin rings. I want to buy some of these and take them off of the napkin rings and put some on a curtain rod. I could sew them onto the top of my curtain panel? I noticed some companies call mercury glass "mirror glass".

Now that it has turned cold we are looking around the rooms here and thinking we need to decorate and rearrange.

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Fall Blooming White Daisies Make Me Smile


Montauk Daisies. I am keeping all of the seeds. These plants are hardy, love the hot, hot sun and now are rewarding us with blooms when it's cooler and not so many white blooms abounding right now. 

I am trying out the blogger interface. Things might look a little different.



 

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Shabby Chic French Lace Display





Little bits of vintage lace intrigue me. Why have them tucked away when you can have them out on display. I took a chick water feeder cleaned and scrubbed it. Some were twisted around like roses and put in each watering hole.






This netting lace was my least favorite when I purchased some old lace, but it has now become my favorite! Isn't it beautiful in it's simplicity as a rose? You could just hot glue it onto wool felt and put on a hat or box or attach to a brooch, but for now I just want to admire it when I am in this room.






The most unusual vase? Not really. Ball jars say "country" like not many other objects can. We shabby chic lovers taken something from the Victorian era, like roses, mix in some country, add some french lace and we are happy! Using this as a rose vase would be really fun too! You can purchase a new one from any farm store. They are galvanized the same as buckets and have a great patina.








Sometimes I just add a dollop of lace on top of my cake stand. It looks as good as whipped cream and cake!

Often when I finger these laces I wonder who made them? Man or woman, boy or girl. Who stood at the loom, mechanical or physical? Where was the thread from? Each different piece of lace has it's own story. We can use our imagination and come up with lots of variations...all ending with beautiful results.

There are so many laces for sale here. 30,000 different items.

I am linking up to Saturday Show Off which has lots of beautiful roses and photographs to admire.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Handcrafted Westie Wood



This beautifully handcut Westie trivet comes from Dach Crafts, a small Scottish company from Aberdeenshire. I saw this and just had to share it. Such a sweet face.

You can visit their online shop.

Monday, October 17, 2011

Romantic White Shabby Kitchen




A gorgeous hydrangea project I am working on.
Thank you Karen at Graphics Fairy!




I've noticed since trying to go mostly all white in our home
that the soft colors that got lost before are now shining.
I love pink and soft brown and beige. And plants! I love plants.




Such a heavenly combination even if the beige is from eggs just gathered.





Another favorite is soft green and pink with white.







Even the green herbs look so juicy against white and the gray tin!
We all spend a lot of time here because it is so bright.

This is the only westie who can get up on the counter.
A figurine that my daughter got for me at a thrift shop
because it looks exactly like our westie. I am linking up with
Show off your cottage Monday.
This is just one little piece of mine.
Now to make a fritata or quiche? Or sponge cake?






Friday, October 14, 2011

Fall Tablescapes for Kids



Little ones and big ones alike will love coming to the table when it looks inviting and playful.


The rabbit is cut from cheese with a cookie cutter jumping over an apple cut flower.




For my vases I turned our thrift shop find (ice-cream sundae glasses) upside down and added water

and some hydrangea flowers picked moments earlier with ferns from the yard.

Little hands cannot knock these vases over very easily.




Lavender is still blooming here. I rolled a sage leaf around some lavender stems.

The kids can add these to their lemonade, if they like, or put them in their pockets.




Since Halloween is close I took tangerines and put them under cloches.

Sweet little faces made from cheese cut outs and stuck on with a dab of peanut butter.

They'll have their own orange tangerine "pumpkin" to eat grown just for them under the glass house!



These hydrangeas bloom all summer and are still blooming!

Hydrangeas have such a cottage feel. You can be frugal and still have fun.


I am linking to French Country.

Inspiration Friday

Farmhouse Friday

Friday Unfolded

Debra's Common Ground Fall Tablescapes

Farm Friend Friday






Thursday, October 13, 2011

Organic Fall Bouquet


It stopped raining and I went for a walk in the yard.
I came back with an armful of wild, floral fragments picked
up off of the ground or snipped. There is such an abundance
of foliage and seed heads right now to play with. But first,
I love how the yellow rose pulls out the yellow and greens
in the apple above.


I dropped them in my soup tureen and they were a feast
for my eyes against the white bowl and also inside on
the white table.




I don't know if you can see everything in this bouquet,
but these are a few peony seed heads that I think are
architectural and striking with the pink grass seed heads.





I threw out hay to the sheep and saw the vacant bee nest.
The hornets make nests way up high on the barn ceiling
and when they're empty of bees they'll fall down
onto the hay. They look a little like morel mushrooms!
A nice texture. The few red leaves are from the
sugar maple tree.


Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Wood Kniting Needles and Organic Yarn



Green organic threads! I am in awe of how delicate nature can be. So perfectly coiled on it's own. I took these small vine threads that were attached to little pieces of branches and put it against my painting canvas so you can compare for size! It is a miniature version of what my knitting looks like after I've pulled out rows of stitches--. I just cannot say "I am a knitter," and stand very tall and straight when I say it. More appropriately I could say, "I am a thread winder and unwinder." For some super knitting check out ravelry. A fun group of knitters who can yes, knit! I will continue to "garden knit" for now.

Monday, October 10, 2011

Rosa New Dawn and Catmint



A carpet of rose petals waiting to perfume your feet. So dreamy and romantic. So elegant! So English! Garden designer James Doyle has combined two very hardy garden staples into a beautiful allee. The Climbing Rose New Dawn and catmint make a striking duo in this garden in Connecticut.

Farmhouse Gathering Nature


Nature's charms grow and fall at our feet. Some very dainty and curly. Some pointy and sharp, but together they represent Mother Earth's bounty.

Berries for dying sheep wool
Chestnuts for eating
Sedum for attracting bees to your garden
Grass seeds to feed the birds
Great oak leaves to shade us all!

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Roses for Lunch? - Beautiful edibles


Most of us know that rose hips are added to teas, but how many know that rose petals are edible as well? That is if you've grown them yourself and they are organic. This notion intrigued me. I brought in a gorgeous, climbing dynamite red rose for a taste. The colors were so striking against the white plate. I got my camera to join me on this unusual dining excursion.



I pulled off the petals in bunches and dropped them onto my plate, in a let's get this over attitude. What lay before me seemed too lovely to partake of. Food for the heart, yes, but food for the stomach? They represent so much more. It's true. I've eaten bright orange and yellow nastursiums in salads and not felt a bit bad about it. Roses just seem holier.




Instead of eating them I left a message that everyone understands. I love roses! These petals are now in a teacup on my counter. Maybe tomorrow I'll get up the nerve and make rose petal ice cream!


Saturday, October 8, 2011

Mini Salvage Window Greenhouse Handmade




Isn't this adorable and just the right size for starting some cuttings and seedlings? Maybe you could just have a little bed of lettuce greens in here? I am in love with this homemade, frugal, chippy white one that I saw recently! I went out to the barn and saw a few windows in the corner from when the orginal windows were replaced from the house! Yippeee! (If you don't have old windows you could always use clear plastic and some two by fours.) We are trying to keep ahead of the cold and keep growing.

Thursday, October 6, 2011

The Perfect Pink Cake


This would look great on my table tonight! It wouldn't have to be a large cake even a cupcake turned upside down out of it's wrapper frosted like this would be a taste of heaven. I am getting out the butter, sugar and cream now!

Photo credit pinterest.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

White Farm Chairs and Feed Sack Cotton




I purchased these secondhand chairs for a few dollars to paint and add around the dining table for holidays when we have need of more chairs. Especially cute chairs! I painted the textured cotton in stripes to look like feedsacks. I will post diy (do it yourself) so you can have the look as well! I am pleased how the chairs look. I do want to distress them, but when I see a lot of distressed wood around me I'm thinking the all white non marked chairs look great! See last picture of before and after! Happy White Wednesday. I am linking to Faded Charm for her fabulous White Wednesday fun. A first to also be linking to Farmhouse Friday.

Another fun creative group I found and am linking up here too is, Creative Things Thursday

I hope it's not too shocking that I have went to a larger picture format. It's so delightful to see large photographs on many other blogs so I'm giving it a go. It does appear somehow the left hand of each photograph is missing? Oh, where did you go?

My Home Page








Monday, October 3, 2011

Farm Fresh Breakfast




I had the simpliest yet very elegant breakfast this morning. I took this picture after my first bite. Oh, the creamy parmesean and pepper is wonderful. Just delicious and I want to share the recipe with you so you can make your own variation. First fetch a farm fresh egg. When they talk about how far food has to travel before it gets on your plate. This one is only about 75 steps not miles from chicken to table. See how bright and colorful free range chickens eggs are? That is telling you the sun is shining on the farm. (It's the grass in their diet.)

Break egg carefully into ramekin.


I poured cream over the top til almost covering the yolk. Probably a Tablespoon or so. Add shredded parmesean cheese on top of cream. Then grind some fresh pepper on top. That is it....so simple.



This is what it looks like before going into oven. You don't need to put in a hot water bath or on a cookie sheet. No. I just set on top oven rack and watch until you can see the egg is almost set. About 6 minutes at 325 F.

You can add a sprig of thyme or rosemary on top for company.

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Vintage Dolls




Can you imagine how these sweet dolls carried on with tea parties and catwalk fashion shows, although I don't think they called them that back in the early 1900's. Such smiling faces and bright eyes...they look as though they are still reminiscing.






This doll still has her original hat.




Each doll is waiting to be adopted at Lucketts Store in Virginia! Such a fun place to visit and each room is loaded with charm. On the very top level which is the tippy top of the attic are shelves of vintage lace, shams, tablecloths and more. The vendor told me that most of the linen is from Germany and they are so nice!

Inside and outside Lucketts' makes an impression!